Flexible strap, band, or linkage



' June 9,- 1931. c. H. KESTENMAN 9,

FLEXIBLE STRAP, BAND, OR LINKAGE Filed Oct. 25, 1928 //8 [f if I I J i J94 I t Til Illlllll!llllfllllllllllllllll GI lll ill'lllllllllmfll lllllllllllllll I IIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIlllh iiiiiiml I I II Patented June 9,1931

- This invention relates to'im'prove'nientsin flexible metal straps, bands "or linkages for use in the manufacture of bracelets; cha ns belts and like articlesof 'jewelry or ado'rnment.

tively' fiat link-units or chain-elements "connected togetherin close ass" ociation to adapt the strap, band or linkage'to'fiex readily to Another object of the invention is toprovide a device of the: types pec'ified' in which the main link-unitsor 'ch ain' ele nents 'are'of solid structure to adapted'theinv-to beorna-' mented on theface by 'eniamelinggembossing,

' engraving or by setting jewels therein.

Another Qobject of the invention is to pro- Vide aidevice of the type; specified "which'is 7 strong and sturdyin construction and'proof against breakagefor dislocation of its parts. '30 Further-objects of, the improvement: are set forth in the followingspecification whlchdescribes: "a. preferred form of 1 construction of theinventionas illustrated byzthe accompan'ying drawings. In the. drawings: c- Fig.1:is aperspectivevieW illustrating'the d t b d Il'nk e embodied lmprme S an on ag 'most clearly; in Figs. 4 and'6; On the under in a bracelet. :for: attachment to the sides of aWrist-Watch; 1

Fig; 2 is an, enlarged bottom plan View of the end section ofthefimproved strap; band orlinkage; 1 m Fig-Bis aside-view of the.-sa ne-;fi;

.45 the end section-ol? the linkage taken on line .1 Fig. 6.is.asimilar perspecti-ve view ofthe Ap plica tion lll ecliocjtgberlll 1928I' Seria1 No. 314,437.

One obj ect of the invention-is to provide a device of tli'e typespecified havingrelavI adapt them to engage acrossthe loops of two aTdJoinmg vmain links-to connect; the parts 3 The main links ZPAT-EVNTAIOFFICE,

cnhntns alknsiitfiivrhmjdF 1 novinn' kion, Brion]: 1 mm, ssmnon 'ro ammals FIe Bt 'E see aw; Q31 G 7 e ndlink-eleinent showingit-in invertedpo 1 siti onflorcbottom sideup; and.

1230s. MFG. cot, v or R VIDJ NcEQB oQE ista nnya CORPORATION or mionn Rig'r'l'i s acomposite perspective view showing theconnctor I or end-member; of. the link"- ag,1e.-;wl1icl1 adapts; it for use" as a :watch' bracelet t e present constructed as :a solid plate 'or block having loops at its sides and the connecting-Me ments, 3 being of substantially ibox form ltotogether. a I

sheet-metal of substantial thickness to proimproved strap, band link =-age has the general appearance of a series of flat, oblong blocks arranged'in abutting 2 are stamped-out vide a flat plate or: block suitable amine mentation onfits upper face; for instance,.-by a-pplylngaa. baked icoatlngf of enamel thereto, or in other cases, by engraving or; embossing ,thei surfacebr setting jewels or-jbrilliants therein. ,The central orinainportion ofthelinkelement 2 takes the form of a rectangular panel ,5 havingrits edges, slightly beveled or rounded-to heighten the; artistic appearance. On either sideof the link-element 2 are trans versely-extendingf: loops 4 constructed Iintegral with the rnain body of the element, bujt preferably reduced, in ,1 thickness as shown side of the lirik-element-Z the loops 3 are re-' ce'ssed back beyond the marginallimits of the.

centralpalnel 5 ofthe link, thereby forming I of'the central panel 5, thereby forming shoula, ders'8..;.J-'- v The. connecting-links V 3', shown in Figp5, are preferably constructed from sheet-t inetaLin-the form; of narrow bofxes. They,

-may"be struck up from suitably shaped blanks;

with a fiat top 10, and sides 11 bent at rightangles thereto and folded inwardly to form bottom walls 12 having their ends meeting or abutting in a closed seam. The top 10 of the link 3 is extended at 7 beyond the ends of the side wallsl]. and bottom walls 12, and then folded downwardly in a tab or end strip 13 which serves an important purpose-as later explained. p

In joining the main link-elements 2' together to form the strap band or linkage, the connecting-links 3 are looped around the cross-bars 9 of the loops4 on two adjoining elements. It will be understood that when the connecting-links 3 are formed their hottoinwalls 12la1'eleft standing in alinement with the side walls 11 so that a. connectinglink.3 may be assembled :withtwo associated main links 2- by straddling its sidewalls across thebars 9 of the adjoining loops-4. 1 After the sides 11 of the connecting-link 3 have been in-- 1 elements 2 arehingedly connected to rock or tilt one inrelation to the other'to permit flexure of the whole band: or linkage; the provisionof the end tabs 13rscrvingto cover the joints between the parts so that when they areroeked or canted no open: space will be revealed. 'It is further tobe noted that the endtabs- 13 fit snugly against theendsof the loops t-within therecesses formed by the shoulders 8 and: thus provide a smooth, un:- broken contour on the sides 'or' edges :of' the bracelet toprevent the latter from catching in the garments, while alsoz enhancing its art1st1'cappe'arance; r

' withlany suitable form: ofclasp or end-member for connectingit'to the sides of the watch.

Preferably, the end-memberfis ofthe same general construction as the rnainz'linkeelements of the band.-' Asishownjin Fig. 6,. the

end-link has. the general. contour of the main-links 2, the only difference being that one of the-side loops is displaced by an-unper-.

for eited portion or ear-lfi. The career projcction 16' is of' thesame size and shapeas' the loop 4 on the oppositeside of the link el ement I "15, being recessed with notches :1'7'cut into its n 1 opposite ends.

Adapted to be fastened to the ear or pro-- jection- 16" is an' enclosingan ember 18: constructed from a sheet-metal blank in the form shown in Fig.7. The enclosing member18 is folded on; itself and bent to form acylindrical loop or tubular barrel 19, with the flat portions of the metal, designated 20 and 21, eX- tending rearwardly therefrom in opposite spaced relation to adapt them to overlie the opposite faces of the ear or projection 16. The bottom fiat portionv 20 is formed with notches 22 out into its edges in'conformity with the outline at the ends ofthe car 16;

' while the top portion 21 has narrow tabs or fingers 23 bent overfroln its edges and adapted tobe engaged with the notches 17 at the ends of the ear 16, The fingers 23 arefo'lded overthe bottom strip 20, as shown at the right in Figs. 3 and 4, to clamp the enclosing-member 18 in place on the end-link 15. The fingets; 23 engage with the notches 17 to hold the member l8 fixedly in place on the ear 16, and its top portion 20 being setflushwith the top of the end-link'lfiprovides an unbroken contour on the upper surface thereof.

, Slida-bly held-in the barrel .19 at the end of the member 18-.are a pair of plunger-pins 24 formed with end-pintles or trunnions 25 adapted for insertion intothe holes in-the ears which project from the sides of the watch, this construction. being in accordance with theusual arrangement of the end- .connectors. A spring 26 arranged between the plungers 2 L .tends to urge them outwardly to maintain; the pintles 25- permanentl-y engaged with: the holes in the ears on thewateh. The plungers 24 are held in place against the pressure of the spring 26by means offlanges 27 rolled or swaged; over from the ends of the barrel 19. In attaching andreleasing the end-member of the bracelet from the ears on the watch the plungers24 are pressed inwardly against the tension of the spring 26 in acother-articles of jewelry and adornment. The When: applied to use as a wrist-watch strap. band or bracelet,v the linkage may be supplied improved construction shown-and; described renders the device particularly neat and attractive in appearance with a smooth, unbroken surface onits top and sides devoid of unsightly joints; and with the mechanical connections; entirely hiddenfrom view.

The strap, band ordinkage has the appearance of a series of articulated plates or blocks of alternately varying width and the main link-elements beingofsolid construction provide forany preferred-form of ornamentation, such asenamelingy embossing, engraving'or'inother cases for'setting with'jewels.

The improvedconstruction of the linkage is extremely simple,requiring only two elements which may be formed; byustampingoperations, thus rendering the whole device particularly economical to manufacture.1

The linkage is ruggedand sturdy in eonof construction, various modifications maystruction and proof against breakage or dislocation of its parts.

The invention also includes an improved form of construction for the end-member-or connector employed for the purpose of attaching the strap or bracelet to a wrist-watch.

While I have herein shown and described the device as embodied in a preferred form be made in the shape and arrangement of the parts thereof without departing from the j spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,

without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

- 1. A strap, band or linkage comprising a plurality of main link-elements having cen-' orally-disposed transversely-extending solid portions with loops at their sides of less thickness than the central 3 portions; and closed box-like connecting-links having portions projecting through the'loops on two adjacent main links and bent therearound to hingedlyconnect'the parts, said connectinglinks having end portions overlying the ends of the loops on the main links tocover and conceal the joints therebetween and with the overlying portions of; the connecting-links. in the same plane as the top of the central solid portions of themain link-elements to provide a smooth unbroken upper surface on the linkage.

2. A strap, band or linkage comprising a plurality of relatively flat solid block-like link-elements having narrow loops at their sides of less thickness than the mid portions j acent "main link-elements with their overly ing portions flush with the top and'bottom of the central portions of the main link-ele- 'face on the top plurality of solid block-like link-elements,

connecting-link also having end'strips folded to overlie the endsof the loops on thetwo connected block-links and disposed in the recesses thereof to, provide a smooth, flush suror linkage. I a r 5; In a device of the type specified, the combination of a series of block-like link-elements having loops on their sides; hollow box-likeconnecting-links enclosing the crossbars of the loops to connect the block-links in articulatedrelation; and a connector at-the end of the linkage comprising a block-like end-link corresponding to the main link-elements and having a loop on one of its sides for receiving the connecting-link, an ear or projection on its opposite side formed with notches at its ends; a folded strip of sheetmetal bent to form a loop at its ends and having portions abutting the top and bottom of the ear on the end-link, oneof said portions being provided with fingers engagin notches in the ends of the ear and folde to clamp the'parts together. I

. [In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

CHARLES 'H. KEST NMAN.

ments and having end portions overlying the' 7 ends of said loops to cover and conceal the 4 joints between the parts while presenting a closed structure on its top, bottom and sides.

3. A strap, band or linkage comprising aplurality of block-like link-elementshaving relatively narrow loops on'their sides which are recessed inwardly from the top and botand sides of the strap, band tom faces of the link-element and also re- 1 cessed inwardly from its-ends; and sheetmetal connecting-links eachhaving a top wall overlying the top of the loops on two adjacent block-links flush withthe main portion thereof, side walls bent downwardly from the top 7 wall and inserted throughthe openings in two adjacent loops and folded around the cross-bars thereof to provide bottom walls, said top wall of the connecting-1i nk being exvtended beyond the ends, of'its side and bottom walls and folded over to overlie the recessed ends of the'loops on the block-links whereby to cover and conceal the joints b tween the parts. 

